More There Than Found At a Glance
by HottahSpots
Summary: FinishedDaggers is running from the cops and poses as a boy to hide. Will Spot be able to get over himself in order to help her or will someone else.
1. Daggers

Disclaimer: Do not own Newsies unfortunately. Any characters you don't recognize are probably mine.  
  
AN/ ok it's starts out from jack's point of view but that's just for the first chapter so I can introduce my main character. Oh and it takes place a little after the strike ended.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Jack watched with curiosity as a boy he had never seen before walked by carrying a decent stack of papers. The boy had dirty blond hair that stopped just before his ears. His hat was a little too big and his clothes were pretty beaten up even for a street boy. He seemed a little small for his age and was really thin. There was definitely something odd about him.  
  
Shrugging it off he went to introduce himself. The boy was walking at a fast pace and easily finding small gaps to weave through to get to the other side of the crowd. Jack had to practically run to catch up.  
  
"Hey, newsie," Jack called to get his attention.  
  
"Huh," the boy turned around just as Jack caught up with him.  
  
"Youse new 'round here?" Jack asked.  
  
"Yeh," The boy replied his voice was a little high.  
  
"That's quite a few papes for Manhattan," Jack said commenting on the large stack on papers on the boys shoulder.  
  
"who said I is sellin in mahatten,"  
  
"Where else would youse be sellin,"  
  
The boy didn't reply and just looked down at the street and shrugged. Jack laughed, this boy must be new to the streets.  
  
"Stop laughin, it's not funny," The boy made an attempt to defend his pride  
  
"Sure, do youse even knows how to sell a paper?"  
  
"Yeah, that's the easy part,"  
  
"I'd like to see this," Jack challenged.  
  
"Sure," The boy slipped easily into the crowd and sold a chuck of his papes fairly quickly, then wandered back to Jack still selling.  
  
"Wow you're pritty good,"  
  
"Tanks,"  
  
"Jack Kelly, but some call me cowboy,"  
  
"..........call me daggers," the boy hesitated before answering.  
  
"All right daggers want to hang wit me? Show you the ropes of Manhattan, is clear you don't need to be taught how to sell papes."  
  
"Tanks, Kelly,"  
  
"Jack,"  
  
"Fine, Jack."  
  
* * * *  
  
"Boi's tis is daggers, he's new round 'ere," Jack introduced him to the boys in the lodging house.  
  
"Daggers?" said one boy. "How'd you get that as a name?"  
  
"Daggers and knifes are my weapon of specialty. Just hope you don't have to find out how good i am wit 'em first hand." Daggers comment made the rest of the boys kinda back down.  
  
"Come on Daggers, be nice to the boys they're family," Jack replied to daggers comment.  
  
"I'm tired where's the empty bunk?" Daggers muttered as a response.  
  
"Over t'ere at the end," Jack answered.  
  
Daggers didn't say anything as he climbed into his bunk with out even changing. He quickly zonked out and started to snore very lightly.  
  
"I don't like t'is kid," Race said to Jack as soon as Daggers was asleep.  
  
"He was a lot nicer to day when i first met 'im," Jack replied. "Maybe he's had bad experience with large groups of boi's,"  
  
"Right, seems like he would fit in lot better in Brooklyn," Race thought out loud.  
  
"Yeah," Jack replied a light grin spread across his face.  
  
Despite what the boys thought Daggers really was awake and had heard their short conversation. It had worked though, she had pulled it off, how many girls could pretend to be a boy and get away with it. 


	2. Spot

A/N: I know it's a lot longer than the last one, I just started writing and found a lot of places I could have ended the chapter but instead I just kept writing. Yeah.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Daggers was woken up abruptly by a lot of loud noises. Someone was determined to not let her sleep. Sitting up she realized it was a lot of people. Matter of fact the whole lodging house was getting up and being quite loud.  
  
Dragging herself out of bed she grabbed her small bag of stuff and began to head out, she didn't really want to watch all the boys get ready for the day. She was almost to the door when Jack Kelly got in her way.  
  
"Leavin' already you can't even get t'e papes to sell yet?"  
  
"I know, I'se going to find some'in to eat."  
  
"Ya know, I knows this really cheap place over in Brooklyn. We could meet some me friends over t'ere."  
  
"Fine, ya payin'?"  
  
"Sure,"  
  
The walk over to Brooklyn took a while and was fairly uneventful. Jack didn't ask any questions about Daggers or her past at all. Daggers had planned on him doing so she had made up a whole story on who she was and where she had come from. Lying came naturally to her so it wouldn't really be a problem.  
  
When they finally got where they were going, it didn't look much like a restaurant and more of a dock. There were a lot of boys showing up looking like they were going to go swimming. Daggers froze this would be a problem. Jack led her right past the boys to the end of the dock.  
  
"Spot," Jack called out.  
  
"Jacky-boy?" A tough looking boy popped up from behind a wooden crate.  
  
"What youse doin' back t'ere, usually you're on top of t'e boxes not behind 'em,"  
  
"Dropped me walkin' stick," The boy dropped down and did a spit shake with Jack. Then he noticed daggers and gave her an odd look. "Whose t'is?"  
  
"Spot this is Daggers, he been over in Manhattan but it don't really fit in over there. Think he'd fit in over here a little more?"  
  
"He's a little small and puny, can he fight?"  
  
"Who youse callin' small and puny," Daggers jumped in defended herself.  
  
"Youse," Spot shot back. "Well can he's hold his own in a fight, cuz if I have to protect 'im then you can keep 'im,"  
  
"Aren't youse a little short to be callin' me small?" Daggers challenged Spot drawing out her one of her knifes and standing up from her former slouch so she was a just as tall as Spot. Spot laughed.  
  
"I like 'im," Spot announced with a nod towards Jack.  
  
"Youse haven't answered me question yet?" Daggers said ignoring that Spot approved of her.  
  
"Drop it, Daggers," Jack told her. "Spot leads the newsies 'ere in Brooklyn, he may be short but he has all t'ose big guys over there 'hind 'im."  
  
Daggers returned the knife to its sheath reluctantly, and returned to a slouch, and mumbled something to the extent of "Spot sounds like a name for a dog, sure looks like one." but Jack let it slide and Spot didn't hear her.  
  
"Well I'se got to head back,"  
  
"You're leaving me here?"  
  
"Weren't you listenin'?" Spot answered for Jack.  
  
"I didn't t'ink you'd actually leave me," Daggers ignored Spot.  
  
"See ya later," Jack said leaving.  
  
Daggers shook her head; these boys seemed a lot rougher than the boys back in Manhatten. She'd be fine she could hold her own in a fight, and she could say that from experience. If she stayed out of the way she probably wouldn't have to prove that to anyone.  
  
"'Ey Daggers," Spot said interrupting her from her train of thought. "Hope you can swim."  
  
"Wahhh," Daggers was going to say why, but it turned more into a ah as Spot easily pushed her into the water. "What the 'ell was that for."  
  
"It'll happen a lot if youse don't learn to keep your guard up." Spot said perching himself on top of the wooden crate, and pulling out his sling shot to practice on some glass bottles.  
  
Daggers climbed out of the water soaking, and shot an evil glare at Spot, taking out a knife and throwing it so it landed right into the crate he was leaning against just above his left shoulder.  
  
"Next time I'll aim." Daggers muttered informatively.  
  
"No wonders Jakcy-boy's newsies didn't like you,"  
  
Daggers just glared at him. It was tempting to leave and find her own place to sell papers, but she didn't know anything about how to get around or where to go. This boy was intolerable and Daggers at the moment didn't want anything to do with him.  
  
"What got no comebacks left," Spot shot her way.  
  
"No I just don't like to exchange cheesy insults, ya wanna fight we use fists."  
  
"I'se liking ya more everytime ya open your mouth."  
  
"Well I hasn't liked ya ever since I met you,"  
  
Spot just laughed and hopped down from his perch and handed her knife to Daggers. Then in one swift movement he turned and made to push Daggers into the water. Daggers grabbed his arm and twisted it around using his own momentum to push him right into the water instead then chuckled and reached down to help him out. Spot ignored her gesture and climbed out on his own.  
  
"Your pretty good," Spot complimented her.  
  
"You're the one who told me to keep on my guard I just followed your advice."  
  
Spot laughed again. Daggers almost liked his laugh.  
  
"You'll fit in just fine here," Said spot. Daggers wasn't sure whether it was a compliment or not. "Why don't ya go meet some of the other boys," Spot suggested as an invite for her to leave.  
  
"I don't do the social thing," Daggers replied and sat down to the side out of the way.  
  
"Suit ya self,"  
  
The rest of the day was very laid back. Daggers sat next to Spot's crate out of the way, and observed the Brooklyn boys. They swam most the time and every half an hour or so another would show up after finishing selling his papers. Daggers decided which would be best to get on the good side of and which to avoid. After watching for a while Daggers decided that even though she didn't like Spot it was a good thing that he liked her. 


	3. The Brooklyn Boys

A/N: Review peeps I feel like no one is reading my story if no one is reviewing. So yeah pleez review.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Daggers woke up in the small warehouse by their dock that the Brooklyn newsies had converted into their own version of the Manhattan lodging house. It wasn't as nice, and didn't have all the conveniences of the Manhattan lodging house but it had make shift beds, blankets and some plumbing. It fit Daggers just fine. She didn't need anything besides that and with all the swimming they did who needs bath tubs. The boys thought it was odd she insisted on swimming with her clothes on but as long as she wasn't throwing any daggers they didn't care what she did.  
  
Daggers days were spent selling papers and then going with the boys to the dock to swim. The boys all had the same tough exterior but on the outside they all had very different personalities. At first they had been unsure of Daggers and letting her inside their little group of newsies seemed imposterous, but Spot pressed for her to become one of them and on one challenged Spot. Spot always got his way.  
  
Daggers was feeling particularly sore that morning from a fight the night before with a couple of scabs that had gotten in her way. Nothing serious, well not for her anyway, just a couple of burses and a really bad headache, if she was feeling this bad she felt sorry for the scabs. She started to get up and the headache worsened causing her to flop back into her bed.  
  
"Daggers, ya 'k," asked one of her new found friends Rocket. "I'se seen when ya don't want to get up, but you'ves never flopped like that before."  
  
"Fine, just tired," Daggers lied as she tried to get up again, much more successful this time.  
  
"Youse don't look fine," added Riddles.  
  
"What youse all doing, lets go before the scabs get all the papes," Flame said walking over. "Daggers youse don't look don't look so good."  
  
"Hey Docs, you cans tell when peoples are sick, can't ya?" asked Riddles.  
  
"Hey, I wanna be a doctor, I ain't one yet." Docs replied walking over.  
  
"Well, here's your big chance," Riddles motioned towards Daggers as he spoke.  
  
"Yeah, whats he got Docs," Hour added.  
  
"I'm fine, leave me alone," Daggers snapped.  
  
"If Daggers says he's fine, then he's fine," Spot announced finally showing up.  
  
"Thank you," Daggers said half stumbling across the room to rinse her face in some cold water to wake her up.  
  
"Spot, I'se don't think he should be going anywhere, he don't look good at all, can't even walk right." Riddles said directly challenging what Spot had said.  
  
"It's not our business whether he wants to take the day off or not. We's got ourselves to watch out for. If he thinks he feels well enough to sell papes, then he can go and sell papes." Spot replied.  
  
"But if you tell him to stay here, he'll do it." Riddles pressed his luck again.  
  
"Riddles drop it," Flame replied shaking his head.  
  
Daggers listened but continued to get ready as Riddles tried to convince Spot to make her go back to bed. Leaving as the argument ended not waiting for anyone, she was getting to close to these boys. Friends are fun for a while but after a while they start caring a little too much about you and that's when it starts too dangerous.  
  
The walk to the local deposition center was pretty short and by the time she had gotten there her head had started to clear a little. Not really but she had regained the ability to walk. Daggers already had her papers and was ready to go selling when the other newsies finally showed up.  
  
"Daggers, maybe ya shouldn't be sellin' alone today," Spot muttered.  
  
"Fine, if ya'll will leave me alone about it. Who's I sellin' wit?" Daggers said giving in. Her head hurt too much to try to navigate through the streets of Brooklyn on her own.  
  
"Your sellin' wit me," Spot said in the same tone as before.  
  
"Hurry up and get your papes, I'se not in a very patient mood.  
  
Spot took his time just to spite her and then they headed off to sell. The day was pretty easy; Spot knew all the best places to sell and even showed her a few tips. They finished pretty quickly and they were first back to the dock. Spot perched himself on his crate and Daggers sighed closing her eyes, dropping her hat over them, then sitting down her back resting against Spot's crate.  
  
Daggers could hear Spot using his sling shot, the constant sound of yesterday's glass bottles breaking, and the southing sound of the water lapping up against the poles of the dock. Her peace was broken by the slight shake of someone walking across the dock. The pace was too quiet to be anyone the newsies coming back. Daggers lifted her hat to see who it was.  
  
"Hello boys," Said one of two officers. "This is where the newsies swim isn't it?"  
  
"Why?" Spot replied.  
  
"We were wondering if anyone had seen this girl here," said the other drawing out a picture and showing it to Spot.  
  
"Sorry Officers, I'se never seen anyone like that." Spot said after studying the picture for a moment. Then turned to Daggers and said "Has you Daggers?"  
  
Daggers got up and looked at the small picture of herself dressed like a normal girl. She pretended to think about it for a moment.  
  
"Nope," Daggers said shaking head.  
  
"Keep, the picture," the first officer said handing the picture to Spot. "Show it to the other newsies if any of them know where to find her please contact us." With that they left.  
  
Spot pocketed the picture and pulled his walking stick. Then he pulled out the picture again to get a better look at it. Daggers watched Spot out of the corner of her eye, calmly like nothing was happening but was really holding her breath.  
  
"Ya don't have a sister do ya?"  
  
"Nope,"  
  
"hmmm," 


	4. Fight

Chapter 4  
  
Despite what the cops had told Spot, no one ever saw the picture. Daggers didn't know what happened to the picture but she figured Spot still had it. This worried her slightly, she watched his every move, but sometimes he'd lose her. He knew she was watching him, and pretended he didn't, none of the guys even noticed.  
  
Feeling a lot better from the fight, Daggers head had worked out its own problem and she had gone back to selling on her own but following Spot in the process. She walked quickly down the street selling several papers. Looking up to where Spot had been the moment before, he was gone. Daggers sighed, this boy was impossible to follow. Shrugging it off, she went back to selling her papers.  
  
"Hey, you," said someone behind her. Daggers turned around, to find a scab she had soaked a while ago standing behind her, with a few buddies.  
  
"Would ya like to buy a pape?" Daggers replied like she didn't know what was going on.  
  
"Sure," The scab replied. Then he motioned to an alley near by and said "My money is ju't in t'at alley ov'r there. Why don't ya come wit me to go get it."  
  
"Na, I'll stay here, so I can sell more papes why youse gone,"  
  
"No, ya really should come," said another giving Daggers a push in the direction of the alley. Daggers thought quickly and decided it would be smarter to stay out in the open, with a lot of people right close. Positioning herself so she could draw any of her daggers or knifes instantaneously, then Daggers planted her feet on the ground where she was.  
  
"What ya doin', we have to go get my money," the first one said pulling her along. Daggers was a really thin and not very muscularly (well really she was for a girl, but compared to the boys she wasn't) so he had no problem. He chuckle, "Not too strong now are we."  
  
"What do ya wan'?" Daggers said as he throw her into the alley wall.  
  
"Pay back, no one takes a bettin' like t'at from a shrimp, and don't want payback."  
  
"Youse, really shouldn't call me shrimp," Daggers shot back.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
Daggers replied with a ram at him, pushing him to the ground. Mid ram she drew the closest dagger and held it too his neck. Daggers couldn't help but smile; she was coming out on top again. The scab laughed and she looked up at his friends who stood close cracking their knuckles ready to attack. The scab moved her knife and pushed Daggers off in her moment of distraction. She had let her guard down for just a moment and now the scab had taken back control.  
  
Daggers could have drawn another knife but 1 to 4 was not good odds, she could take out at least two if someone was backing her up to take out the other two. By herself she could take out 1 or 2 if the others didn't interfere, she knew they would. There was no doubt about it.  
  
The scab sent a few punches her way and she dodged them until when one of the friends offered to hold her while he punched. Daggers fought him off for a moment before he got her in a successful hold. The scab then started to land punches.  
  
"What youse thinking," said a voice above Daggers. "Picking on shrimp when there's only one of them and four of youse?" she looked up to see Spot on the roof of the building above them.  
  
"Yeah," said Flame popping up. "Youse, shouldn't pick on someone smaller than ya."  
  
"Pick on someone ya own size," Spot shot their way.  
  
"Like us," Flame added as they hopped down the fire escape into the alley with them.  
  
The two boys pulled out their slingshots and started to pellet the scab and his friends. Daggers laughed, these scabs had no chance now. Loosing the hold the scab's friend had on her, Daggers slipped her foot behind his knee and jerked it forward causing the boy to fall and let go of her.The soaking that followed was quick and ended in their opponents running away. Daggers collapsed into a funny heap on the ground.  
  
"Daggers, ya 'k," asked Flame.  
  
"Yeah, Ise fine, just felt like collapsing."  
  
"Likely story," Flame replied pulling Daggers to her feet and letting her use him as a crutch.  
  
Flame and Spot helped Daggers to the dock where they stayed until everyone else showed up. The day went as usual until it was dusk when only Daggers went to bed the rest stayed up and whispered off in a corner. Daggers was too tired to listen in on their conversation and fell right asleep. 


	5. Stev

A/N: yeah it's summer and I have way too much time on my hands since I got to my dads house so yeah 3 chapters up at once.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Daggers woke up feeling very stiff and not really wanting to move. The bruises were much worse compared to the ones she got from soaking someone else, but they would have been much worse if Spot and Flame hadn't shown up.  
  
Looking up Daggers realized that she was the only one left in their lodging house. The boys had left her to sleep not even giving her a choice if she wanted to get up or not. It was a smart move she would have insisted on going with the others to sell. Yawning and getting up she found a piece of paper and slice of bread by her bed addressed to her.  
  
Dagers Daggers  
Desided to let ya sleep. Don't soak us, just luking loking out for ya. Brekfast right dere.  
-Flame & oders  
  
Daggers chuckled all the boys could read but it was obvious they couldn't spell. Well they never really had a reason to. Except for the strike, she had heard a lot about that, but they all could spell 'strike', and 'Brooklyn' now. Daggers wished she had been a newsie for that going up against the big newspaper. No she had still been at home wishing to be somewhere else. Daggers had read about the strike in the papers but only the parts they the published.  
  
Moving sluggishly over to the water spout to rinse her face when she heard a knock at the door. Daggers didn't really want to go open the door not knowing who it was(The newsies didn't knock, they owned the place). Half staggering she made her way over to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hey, I'm looking for a Spot Conlon," Said a tall boy about two years older than Daggers.  
  
"Not here," Daggers replied sharply.  
  
"Cool I'm not here to beat him up or anything."  
  
"Why you here then?"  
  
"Just want a word with 'im."  
  
"Sure," She replied none believingly. Daggers wanted to trust him, but Spot had saved her, with the help of Flame of course, from those scabs she owed him.  
  
"Look, I don't have time for this, is he here or not?"  
  
"Who?" asked Spot said sliding down the banister of the stairs that led up to the second room of their warehouse.  
  
"I thought ya went out sellin' wid everyone else," Daggers said as Spot showed up at the door.  
  
"We decided someone should stay here in case ya tried anyding stupid."  
  
"Comforting how much ya trust me,"  
  
"What ya want?" Spot asked turning his attention to the boy.  
  
"You Spot Conlon?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"Who doesn't know dat," Daggers muttered mostly to herself but they heard.  
  
"Who's dis, I haven't gotten anything out of him but rude comebacks,"  
  
"Daggers, being rude is w'at he does best, " Spot replied casually like it was no big deal. "So, w'at ya want."  
  
"I was told by a buddy, that the best way to hind from the bulls is become a newsie."  
  
"Yeah and," Spot replied.  
  
"I was also told that the bulls don't even come near the Brooklyn newsies, so I was wondering if I could lie low here a while."  
  
"Could have said that in the first place," Daggers shot way.  
  
The boy shot Daggers a familiar look that spelled out 'shut up'. She rolled her eyes in reply and Spot ignore their sibling like feud.  
  
"Fine, ya have to find your own found and pay for your own stuff, we ain't going take car of ya." Spot said crudely and motioned that he could enter. "What's ya name?"  
  
"Real, or nickname?"  
  
"Doesn't matter,"  
  
"Stev,"  
  
Daggers froze and looked up at the boy with 'what' written all over her face. Stev was the nickname she had given her older brother when she was little because he hadn't like his name, and and she couldn't pronounce Steve it had always come out Stev. Even when she was older and could pronounce Steve, and Steven she had continued calling him Stev. That is till he had ran away. Stev had thought her everything she knew about living on the streets, he had even given her, her favorite dagger.  
  
Quickly changing her look to 'what a funny name' look so that he wouldn't recognize her. The last thing she wanted write now was him to recognize her. He would make a big deal about and everyone would find out she was a girl. She loved her brother but he wasn't going to ruin her life.  
  
"So what ya running from de bulls for?" Daggers asked her curiosity getting the better of her.  
  
"Don't know, just know their after me," He replied. Daggers could tell he was lying, he had after all taught her how to lie. He decided to shift the attention from him to her "So why aren't ya sellin' with the rest of the newsies?"  
  
"Daggers got 'imself beat up real bad," Spot answered for her.  
  
"Nuthin' really I'll be fine in a day or so,"  
  
"Ya get into fights regularly?" Asked Stev trying to keep the conversation as far from him as possible.  
  
"Only when they start it or do someding I don't like," replied Daggers picking up a casual tone like it was no big deal.  
  
"What about this one, how'd it start?"  
  
"This scab pissed me off a while ago so I soaked 'im, wanted payback so he brought a few friends and played dirty. Would have really done me in if Spot and Flame hadn't showed up." Daggers maintained a calm tone the entire explanation. Stev nodded as if expecting Daggers to continue, and so she did. "Spot and Flame soaked them real good for me. Ya know newsies watch out for newsies."  
  
Spot watched as the two of them exchanged guarded comments always watching the other next move. He had never seen Daggers have so much guard up. 


	6. Run

Chapter 6  
  
The next morning Docs stayed behind instead of Spot and everyone including Stev went out selling. Daggers was still pretty beaten up but she was tired of being coped up in the warehouse. If Spot had stayed behind she wouldn't have had a chance of slipping out. Docs on the other hand was easily distracted and the smallest of the Brooklyn newsies besides Daggers. Okay He wasn't short like Spot and Daggers just small, but could still pack a punch and use a sling shot just as good as any of the other boys.  
  
Waiting until he was distracted by one of the books he had stolen, Daggers slipped out of the warehouse to wander the streets of Brooklyn. She knew if any of the boys saw her the would insist that she go back, so she avoided all their usual selling spots. The only problem was that their usual spots were most of Brooklyn. Daggers stuck to the back alleys which could be pretty dangerous, but she didn't care she needed to be out in the streets.  
  
"Have you seen this girl?" Daggers looked over to see a couple of officers walking around showing a picture to several different locals. She sighed figuring that it was her picture. Wouldn't they just give up, they weren't going to find her. Then to Daggers surprise one of the locals which she just happened to usually sell to responded.  
  
"Yeah, that looks a lot like the newsie I buy from," Dagger froze and waited to hear what how the officer would reply.  
  
"Really, do you know anything on how we could find this newsie," asked the second officer.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think they call him something along the lines of knifes. I'm sorry I only buy from him sometimes."  
  
"Thanks sir," the officers said before moving on.  
  
Daggers took off in a run back to the warehouse which was quite the challenge. She stopped after just a few seconds of running to catch her breath then was off running again considerably slower this time. By the time she had gotten back to the warehouse she had been gone for at least an hour. Docs must have noticed she was gone by now.  
  
Daggers slipped inside hoping that Docs was still fully engaged in his book and hadn't even noticed she was gone yet. He wasn't on the first floor, but hopefully he was on the second where he was when she had left. Daggers hobbled up the stairs and looked over the rail to find Spot instead of Docs.  
  
"Hey Daggers, go out for a walk?" he asked without even looking up from the slingshot he was putting together.  
  
"Yeah, worry ya?"  
  
"Na, gave Docs quite de scare dough,"  
  
"Dought it would,"  
  
A knock sounded at the door, Daggers eyes met Spots as she moved from the stair case and completely onto the second floor. Spot looked at her in confusion and went to go open the door. Once he was gone she moved again closer to the staircase so she could hear the conversation but not still couldn't be seen from the door.  
  
"Can I help ya?" Spot said as he opened the door.  
  
"Excuse me, but you're a newsie are you not?" asked the voice of one of the officers from before.  
  
"Yeah I'm a newsie," Spot replied.  
  
"Do you know a newsie named knifes or something like that?" The officer inquired.  
  
"Na, don't know no one wid a name like dat."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure,"  
  
"Alright thank you for your time." Daggers heard the door shut after that.  
  
Daggers didn't know whether Spot was doing something down stairs or just taking his time but he didn't come back up stairs after that. Daggers wanted to go down to see what was taking so long to come up and interrogate her, but was scared that the officers were watching the windows. Finally getting some guts she slipped down the stairs. Looking around she didn't see Spot anywhere. Suddenly Spot appeared and he pushed up against the wall.  
  
"What's going on?" He asked sharply. "I want answers."  
  
Daggers didn't reply and locked her eyes with his defiantly. He wasn't going to get mixed up in her business. She should have left after the first time they had started getting to personal with her.  
  
"Answer me!" He barked "Who are you really and why are the bulls after you?"  
  
Daggers kept her eyes locked on his but refused to respond, but was bad enough to have the over protective brother show up but this was too much she was out of here. Spot was about her same size but he was a little bigger and definitely stronger.  
  
"Daggers I just wanna help, please just tell me what's going on."  
  
Daggers was pinned against the wall but she could get around that. He needed to remain standing to keep her pinned, and all she had to do was get him down. One swift kick to the back of his knee was all she needed but after that he wouldn't be down long she'd have to move quickly.  
  
"I know you're really that girl in the picture," Spot had said more but Daggers hadn't heard it. That was all she needn't to hear, getting her leg behind his and jerking forward her heel right into the back of his knee causing his legs to fall right from under him.  
  
Free of his grip she ran forward still out of breath from the run not long before she couldn't move very quickly but she had to get out of Brooklyn and fast. She needed to get out of New York; Spot had ties everywhere and he would probably have them on look out for her. The stupid boy 'help her' ha like he even knew what the word meant.  
  
Out into the streets moving as quickly as she could without breaks she eventually found herself in Manhattan. The last place she wanted to be besides Brooklyn; the place where she had first become a newsie. She knew Spot had a tie here she had met him herself.  
  
She was too tired though if she could find somewhere to rest till dusk then she could make her way to the train station and take the soonest train away from here. Pulling out her small supply of money she counted and found she had about 5 dollars between what was left of what she had stolen from her father and what she had made as a newsie. She hoped it was enough to take a train.  
  
Her stomach growled and Daggers realized she hadn't eaten since dinner last night and it was already noon. Spotting a small diner across the street Daggers headed towards it. Tibby's the name sounded familiar but she shrugged it away.  
  
Stepping in and finding a small corner booth to sit in. She ordered the cheapest thing on the menu wanting to save her money for the train ride out of this horrid city. Two familiar faces walked in, the newsies she had met when she had first become a newsie. That's right, Tibby's was the diner that the strike meeting with Denton had occurred. She had strolled right into the Manhattan newseis hang out spot.  
  
"Hey.. Daggers. W'at ya doin' here." Greeted the one she recalled as Racetrack.  
  
"Yeah, I dought ya moved over to Brooklyn." Said Kid Blink.  
  
"I'm grabbing someding to eat before I head over de Train Station." Daggers replied calmly.  
  
"Mind if we join ya?" asked Race.  
  
"Na, go ahead." Daggers hadn't planned on this; what if more came and one of them had heard from Spot.  
  
"So where ya headed," asked Kid Blink.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Ya said ya were going to de train station, where ya headed?" Blink explain and then repeated himself.  
  
"Don't know as long as it's not New York."  
  
"Ya don't like New York, or Spot Conlon giving ya a hard time?" Race asked, Daggers wasn't sure whether it was a joke or not.  
  
"Just don't like New York," Daggers muttered trying to keep casual while still watching the door for any newcomers.  
  
Their conversation continued even after Daggers food had arrived and she ate hastily while they talked. Once she finished she was glad to have an excuse to leave.  
  
"Bye," Daggers said quickly as she left after paying.  
  
"Bye," the boys replied as she left then returned to their conversation. 


	7. Goil

Chapter 7  
  
Spot had been mid sentence when he felt her leg move and a second later her heel ram into the back of his knee. Spot had fallen to his knees fairly quickly and watched as she slipped outside.  
  
Sitting down on the stair case Spot entered in to deep thought. He wanted to chase after her, really he did, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He had said so himself that he didn't belong in Daggers business. Why did he want to run after her and tell her to come back where he could protect her from whatever reason she wa-  
  
"Spot, ya find Daggers?" asked Docs walking in.  
  
"Huh?" Spot asked Docs had interrupted him mid thought.  
  
"Daggers, did he come back?"  
  
"Yeah he was here, den he left."  
  
"He's coming back right?"  
  
"Na, he's gone."  
  
The rest of the day of the day Spot was kinda out of it. When the rest went swimming, he perched himself on his crate and didn't leave it until long after everyone else had gone to bed. Sighing he hopped down and headed towards the warehouse exhausted.  
  
By now everyone had heard that Daggers left and that there was something wrong with Spot, but no one could quite figure it out. They decided to discuss it while Spot was still out on the dock.  
  
"Spot hasn't been 'imself since Daggers left," Riddles said initiating the conversation.  
  
"Yeah always dinking, Spot used to dink but never dis much," added Hour.  
  
"What we gonna do?" asked Rocket.  
  
"Yeah, we's got a fearless leader dat dinks too much," Flame agreed.  
  
"Seems kinda shrimpy to me," Stev muttered to himself.  
  
"Ya only been here for two days. Ya don't even know Spot or Daggers," Fish barked at Stev.  
  
"When Daggers first showed up he didn't like Spot at all," Flame chuckled recalling the way they used to act towards each other.  
  
"Dey were pretty funny; always pushing each other off de dock, shooting clever little comebacks at each other." Riddles agreed.  
  
"Sounds like they were flirting to me," Stev added his provocative comment.  
  
"Flirting dey both is boys ya dimwit," Hour said defensively for his leader and smacking Stev upside the head.  
  
They all heard the door open and pretended to go back to their poker game. Out of the corner of their eyes they watched Spot entered and immediately headed towards the staircase without even acknowledging the existence of his followers. As soon as he was upstairs the group of boys went back to their conversation this time in whispers.  
  
"Someding happened today when Daggers, and Spot were alone 'cause after that is when Spot started to act weird." whispered Docs.  
  
"Whatever happened it really shook Spot up, and made Daggers leave. It had to be pretty big." Flame commented. "There's no way we is getting Spot to talk about it. We'll be lucky if he says anything at all."  
  
"I say we go up dere and force it out a 'im," Hour suggested cracking his knuckles.  
  
"Na dat won't do anything 'cept maybe make Spot mad, and we don't wanna make Spot mad." Said Chet.  
  
"You're right I would just make me mad," said Spot standing by the staircase.  
  
"Spot....... would ya like to join our game of poker?" Rocket tried to cover.  
  
"Don't bother I know ya ain't playing poker," Spot said dropping a picture into the center of the group then sitting down in the gap between Docs and Chet. Docs picked up the picture and studied it for a while before looking over at Spot in confusion.  
  
"This looks like Daggers, but a girl. Does he have a sister?" Docs asked passing the picture on to Flame.  
  
"No she doesn't," Spot replied.  
  
"She.. wait, what?" Docs grabbed the picture back from flame and studied it for a second before Flame snatched it back. "Daggers is a goil?"  
  
"Yep,"  
  
The group was dumb struck, as they passed around the picture around the circle. Several of the boys blushed when they heard this. They had done several things they wouldn't have if they had known that Daggers was a girl.  
  
"That's why He would leave his clothes on when swimming and stuff like that," Flame said breaking the silence.  
  
"How long has ya known Spot?" Riddles asked when the picture reached him.  
  
"Since, he first time me and hi-her went sellin' togeder,"  
  
"Dat was like two weeks ago." Docs said calculating the time in his head.  
  
"Wait, ya positive dis is Daggers?" Stev asked pointing the picture right at Spot.  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"Dis is me little sister, this picture was taken right before I ran away, at her 12th birthday." Stev practically exclaimed.  
  
"Ya sure?"  
  
"Definitely she hated that dress wit a burning passion."  
  
"Ya said that the bulls were after ya , right?"  
  
"Yeah,"  
  
"Could the bulls be after her, and ya just thought dey were after youse?"  
  
"It's possible, me resource just told me that if a certain person was found me fader would be immediately informed. I thought dis was a little odd, seein' as I ran away two years ago."  
  
"They weren't lookin' for youse at all, I got dat picture from a bull,"  
  
"Well if de bulls are after Daggers den we have to help 'im." Flame interrupted Spot and Stev's little conversation.  
  
"No, if he-she wants to run on her own, then she can run if she wants." Spot said getting up, "We gots papes to sell tomorrow. We should be getting some sleep."  
  
A/N: yeah so Spot had a bad day leave his attitude alone ok. 


	8. Pops

A/N: Ok I'm straying way to close to the whole romance thing, Yeah I planned on doing that but not this early so we're going to stray away from that no more Spot for a few chapters. Yeah I finally got my copy of hp #5 so that's why it's taken me so long to update. On to the story  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Daggers left Tibby's in hopes of heading towards the train station, but unfortunately a few officers got in her way. Dodging them and going to long way around to the train station she found that there were officers in monitoring the train station. Daggers growled; this was most annoying. Then it occurred to her, maybe these ones weren't even looking for her. Sure her father was the type to try to get the entire police force of New York out looking for her, but they'd never let him have the entire force.  
  
Strolling into the station she was almost to the ticket counter when the officers spotted her. Maybe she was wrong, perhaps he managed to convince them to get the whole police force out looking for her. She was off running in the opposite direction faster then the cops could follow, or at least she hoped. Dodging into an alley way, she kept running all though she believed it would have been a good place to stop. She was still pretty beat up and didn't want to agitate her wounds.  
  
Finding out pretty quickly that it wasn't a safe place to hide, she ran right into the cops. One grabbed her arm and she went to draw a knife but he was quicker and grabbed her other arm as well. Daggers resulted to the place strategy she had left her legs and she aimed right below the belt. The officer crumpled to the ground in pain and released Daggers to run again. With in seconds another officer had a grab at her and she gave up trying to get away when she realized she was surrounded. Completely and utterly surrounded. There was no way she could get past them wounded as she was.  
  
They didn't even stop at the police station, they took her straight home. Once in the custody of her father the police left for him to handle her on his own. Mind you they disarmed her first and gave her various knifes to her father, they wondered how she moved with some much metal on her.  
  
"Kathryn," Daggers flinched as her father called her by her real name. He shuck his head and continued "Why, did you try to run away?"  
  
Daggers responded with the practiced death glare she often gave Spot after he had stepped out of line or pushed her into the river. Her father merely chuckled.  
  
"You act as if you have some control over you're life," he said between chuckles.  
  
"Who is to say dat I'se don'," Daggers shot at him pulling off the best Brooklyn accent she could. This time he flinched.  
  
"I thought all those tutors I was paying taught you how to speak properly."  
  
"They dids I forgot,"  
  
"I will not tolerate street rat like language from my daughter, go to your room. I will discuss the matters concerning you when you return to a more proper way of speech." He barked pointing in the general direction of her room.  
  
"Danks," Daggers said waving at him as she walked casually towards her room. 


	9. James

Chapter 9  
  
Daggers got out of the bath and slipped on a dress though she would have preferred the clothes she had worn as a newsie. They had been taken away from her by order of her father. Mind you she fought to keep them and gave the servant who had tried to take them away a black eye and a broken nose. She did not appreciate her father's feeble attempts at making her more female like. Nothing good had come of returning home besides the fact that she was clean, she hadn't had a real bath since she had run away.  
  
Sitting down on her bed she took out the knife that she had gotten one of the servants to steal for her from the kitchen. Carefully twirling it between her fingers as if it were a baton, she began to think. How was she going to get out of here. Her father was an intolerable middle aged man with way too much money. Stev had, had the right idea running away. She would have followed in his footsteps but being only 12 at the time she didn't believe she was old enough to make it on her own.  
  
Daggers considered the window as possible escape route but being on the second floor she would undoubtedly hurt herself on the way down. She didn't have any sorts of rope. Her door was locked shut so she couldn't get out that way.  
  
Daggers didn't even bother to get up when she heard a knock at her door. She knew her father could open it from the outside. Daggers stashed the knife under her pillow as her father walked in. A young man stood in her doorway. Daggers sighed another snobby rich boy, just what she wanted in her bedroom.  
  
"Kathryn this is James Warren, his family just moved here from Virginia while you were away at school. He's been dying to meet you." Her father introduced the boy.  
  
Daggers burst out laughing so hard it made her stomach hurt. She let herself fall back onto the bed; school, as if.  
  
"You alright?" asked the boy walking over to her, and offering his hand to help her up.  
  
"School. Right," Daggers muttered under her breath as she sat up by herself ignoring his offer.  
  
James like many others heard Daggers mutters, but said nothing.  
  
"I'll leave you two to get to know each other," Her father said glaring daggers at her(no pun intended), then he left.  
  
"What was that all about?" James asked.  
  
"So my fathers been telling everyone I was off at school?"  
  
"Yes.... haven't you?"  
  
"Sure," Daggers replied slipping back into her accent.  
  
"He said that some of the girls there were getting to friendly with the local street boys. So he was going to have you come home till he could find a more appropriate school."  
  
"Just like me fader always lyin'."  
  
"Lying?" James replied finally noticing the abrupt change in Daggers speech. "I don't understand Kathryn."  
  
Daggers flinched at the sound of her name.  
  
"Don't call me that," Daggers hissed.  
  
"Why not? It's your name isn't it?"  
  
"Just because it's my name does not mean I have to like it," Daggers replied sharply in proper English to make sure James understood.  
  
James nodded in response then looked daggers directly in the eye.  
  
"What should I call you then?"  
  
".....As long as it's not Kathryn, I honestly don't care." Daggers replied after hesitating. She had been tempted to have him call her Daggers, but that was her newsie name. He certainly wasn't a newsie.  
  
"How 'bout Kat?" James suggested.  
  
"Too close to Kathryn,"  
  
"Ryn?"  
  
"No, still to close," Daggers said after a slight chuckle.  
  
"Hmm. You know what, you look like a Sarah."  
  
"Sarah?"  
  
"Yeah, Sarah."  
  
"Absolutely not,"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"I know a guy who's dating a Sarah. That's why."  
  
"Well that's a silly reason to not like a name,"  
  
"I didn't say I didn't like it, I just don't wan' to be called Sarah."  
  
"Well then what do you want to be called?"  
  
"Whoa, Daggers ya look good in a dress."  
  
Daggers and James turned their head towards the window where Flame's head just peaked over the sill.  
  
"Flame, do ya realize dat me room is on the second floor. Oh and I never want to hear me name and dress in de same sentence again." Daggers barked walking over to the window.  
  
"I is standing on Hour's shoulders and he's standing on a few boxes. Can't promise on the dress ding, and who is dat." Flame finished and pointed to James.  
  
"I'd like to ask you the same question," James replied.  
  
"Wow you is on Hour's shoulders. Hi Hour." Daggers said looking out the window to see Hour down below.  
  
"'Ey Daggers," Hour grunted, having Flame on his shoulders could not be easy.  
  
"Kathryn, who is this? How do you know this... boy?" James asked as if he hadn't been heard the first time.  
  
Daggers shot him a glare for using her real name.  
  
"James, Flame. Flame, James. And Hour is down there." Daggers pointed down out the window as she finished her sentence.  
  
"Kadryn. Name really fits ya, Daggers. So does dat dress.' Flame said teasing her.  
  
"Just 'cause I is a goil doesn't mean I can't soak ya." Daggers snapped. "How did ya figure out where I was?"  
  
"Stev told us." Flame said grabbing the window sill and pulling himself in.  
  
"Ah, Stev someone I know." James said with an almost sigh of relief.  
  
"How do you know Stev?" Flame asked.  
  
"He is Kathryn's older brother Steven is he not."  
  
"Steven, so dat's his real name."  
  
"Yes, He's currently residing in a small college in Maine isn't he. How did he have contact with you, and no one has told me how you know each other."  
  
"College in Maine right," Daggers added sarcasticly. "And I was off at school."  
  
"Why don't you just fill me in, instead of giving me sarcastic remark." James said in a slightly higher tone then he usually used.  
  
"Stev ran away about 2 years ago, and I recently followed his example. Met Flame and a few, well more than a few oders while I was livin' on the streets." Daggers responded. "Last time a checked dough only Spot knew I was a goil."  
  
"He told us," Flame replied making himself quite comfortable in a chair.  
  
"Figured he would." Daggers said sitting down on the window sill.  
  
"You were living on the streets!?!" Daggers' words had just dawned on James.  
  
"Yeah, well not exactly de streets I had a place to sleep and stuff." Daggers responded mid yawn.  
  
"Why,"  
  
"Ya met me fader, and me mudda ain't much better. Life here is very shallow and empty compared to life on the streets. I made friends there, dats more than I ever had here."  
  
Daggers words seemed to make James think.  
  
"Yeah dis is all great, but I is here to get Daggers out." Flame said standing up.  
  
"Wait we can't go yet." Daggers barked. "Me daggers."  
  
"I'll get them," James offered. "If you take me with you."  
  
Daggers and Flame exchanged glances. Flame shook his head, and Daggers seemed to be thinking about it.  
  
"They're, in my parents room on the end of the hall. Once in there, there's a small wooden box in my Faders desk. They all should be in there." Daggers said without looking at James.  
  
"I need those daggers," Daggers told Flame once James had left.  
  
"Are these them?" James replied walking back in with the Daggers.  
  
"Yup, oh and dese dem." Daggers corrected while taking her knifes from him. "Let's go."  
  
Flame didn't say anything as they started climbing out the window, and onto the rope Flame had tied to the window sill. 


	10. Brooklyn

A/N: Ya know how I said no more Spot for a few chapters. I lied.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
James POV(just so ya know)  
  
Flame and Hour treated Kathryn like she was one of the boys. James wasn't sure how to react to her. Kathryn he'd decided was an odd girl. While most girls of their class were away at school, or sowing; Kathryn was running away to live in the street. Even more odd to James was that he was accompanying her. Looking around he realized he didn't have any idea of where they were, or where they were going.  
  
"Where are we headed?" James asked.  
  
"Brooklyn," Hour replied.  
  
"Brooklyn, why Brooklyn. There are gangs in Brooklyn." James stopped dead.  
  
"There are gangs everywhere get over it." Kathryn shot at him. "Anyway, No one will attack us."  
  
"Yeah," added Flame. "We're friends of Spot, Spot owns Brooklyn."  
  
"Spot is Brooklyn," said Kathryn grabbing James' arm to make him move.  
  
James still wasn't too sure about going to Brooklyn. Whether it was as safe as they said was debatable. Kathryn would probably walk into a lion's cage if she thought it was safe. James on the other hand, wouldn't. She also trusted these boys. James couldn't see why.  
  
"James keep up." Kathryn yelled at him. "We're almost dere."  
  
Kathryn and the boys had begun to run. James shook his head; this probably had not been the best idea. They rounded a corner to find a few warehouses next to the water. They walked over to one particularly beat up one and Flame opened to door.  
  
"Welcome to de Newsboys lodging house." Kathryn smiled as she spoke. "The public have to donate money for a real one to be built, and not enough people in Brooklyn has enough to donate anything. So the newsies made deir own."  
  
James studied the room from outside. It had plenty of space to accommodate all the boys, and there was a second floor. The make shift beds were mattresses on the floor and the place was fairly clean all things considered. About 20 boys sat on the floor off to the side talking. Hour ran to go join them.  
  
"So where is this Spot boy. I'd like to meet him." James said assertively.  
  
"Prolly upstairs playing poker." Replied Flame heading towards the stairs.  
  
"Shall we," James said motioning Kathryn to go first.  
  
"Work on your accent, dere's nuthin' some dese boys like better dan to tease a rich boy." Kathryn suggested as they walked up stairs.  
  
"Flame, ya did what!?!" yelled someone as James made it up to the top of the steps.  
  
"Well, she's one of us. So I figured she might like some help out." Flame replied defensively.  
  
"How did ya know where she lives?" asked another boy.  
  
"I told 'im." James presumed this boy was Stev.  
  
"Miss me Spot?" Kathryn asked walking over to the boy who had yelled at Flame and used his shoulder as an arm rest. He was about Kathryn's same height maybe a little taller, and had a sling shot at his waist and a golden tipped cane in his belt lope.  
  
"'Ey Daggers." The boy said then he noticed James. "Who's he?"  
  
"Spot this is," Kathryn stopped and studied James for a moment. "Jamie."  
  
James did not much approve of his new name but didn't object.  
  
"Jamie, huh. Does he speak?" Spot asked looking directly at James.  
  
"Ye-ah, I speak." James imitated the other boys ruff form of speech by changing his yes to a yeah mid word.  
  
Kathryn suppressed a giggle.  
  
"Ye-ah. Looks like a scabba." Spot said shrugging off Kathryn's arm and sitting back down to the interrupted poker game.  
  
"Deal me in," Flame said sitting down.  
  
"And me," Kathryn said slipping in next to Spot with her back to James. "Ya gonna play Jamie?"  
  
"Na, I'll sit out." James said sitting off to the side.  
  
"Don't know how to play," Kathryn asked turning to face him this time.  
  
" Just don't wanna play."  
  
"Ya sure, we're playin' wit cash." She said with a certain twinkle in her eye.  
  
"Daggers he don't make 'im play if he don' wanna." Spot said without looking at her. "It's not like he needs our money wid that kinda suit."  
  
Several of the boys laughed and Kathryn smacked Spot upside the head.  
  
"Speakin' of clothes, dis dress ding ain't working for me. Anyone got an extra set?" Daggers asked picking up her cards.  
  
"But ya looked so good in a dress," one of the boys teased her.  
  
"Just wait till I'm not in a dress and I soak ya." Daggers replied in a similar tone.  
  
"Now dat wouldn't be fair," Flame said.  
  
"Why not?" the boy asked.  
  
"Rocket don't hit goils." Flame answered.  
  
The boys all laughed. Kathryn chuckled and shook her head. James watched as the boys continued to tease Kathryn and she'd return with empty threats. Though he had to wonder what was so bad about getting wet.  
  
The game went on for a while then they all got up to go to bed. Kathryn led him down the stairs, James couldn't help but notice that Spot was the only one who remained upstairs. Kathryn found him a mattress to sleep on then left to let him sleep.  
  
James was tempted to leave in the middle of the night to go back home. James didn't know what a 'scabba' was but he was pretty sure he didn't want to be one, and he definitely didn't like this Spot. Coming with Kathryn had not been a good idea. 


	11. Sleep

Chapter 11  
  
Daggers lay in her bed not really wanting to get up. A chilling thought went through her mind. What if she was still in her room. Locked away from the rest of the world. In a minute someone would knock on her door telling her to get up. It was so quiet maybe she was still in her room. Daggers panicked and sat straight up in her bed.  
  
Slowing opening her eyes she realized that she was in the lodging house. She let out a sigh of relief. Flame in the bed next to her rolled over and looked her in the eye.  
  
"Daggers go back to sleep, suns not up yet," he said yawning then closed his eyes again.  
  
Daggers laid back into her bed and shut her eyes, but she couldn't get back to sleep. She was scared that when she woke up again she'd be back in her room. Her imagination was getting the better of her so she shifted her thoughts to something else.  
  
James clearly didn't fit in with the boys here. Now daggers had to find two new sets of clothes; one for her and one for James. He seemed intimated by Spot and the others. Why had she agreed to let him come a long. If she sent him back they'd undoubtedly make him show them where she was hiding. So he couldn't go home, and he didn't fit in here. Then she remembered how she'd been accepted by the boys. Spot had accepted her and that was it, she was in. Daggers knew what she had to do now, she'd talk to Spot in the morning. Daggers fell back to sleep.  
  
"Spot!" Daggers barked trying to wake the boy up.  
  
"What?" Spot muttered with out even opening his eyes.  
  
"Wake up!" Daggers said making an attempt to pull away his sheet.  
  
"Why?" he asked getting a better grip and pulling them out of her hands.  
  
"The sun's almost up!" she said grabbing the old sheets he used as curtains and pulling them down letting the sun in.  
  
"Dat's great," he said rolling over and pulling the covers over his head.  
  
"Get up! I have to talk to you!" Daggers said walking over and sitting on his chest.  
  
"I can't get up if youse is sitting on me," he replied removing the sheet that covered his head.  
  
"At least you is giving me more than two word answers," Daggers said moving so that she was sitting cross legged next to his mattress.  
  
"What?" Spot asked sitting up and yawning.  
  
"Ya needs to treat James like he's one of us," Daggers told Spot her idea proudly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"'Cause, if you do than the others will too, and then he'll feel more like one of us and then he won't want to go home."  
  
"Don't like 'im. Don't mind if he leaves." Spot yawned again.  
  
Daggers gave him a death glare.  
  
"If he goes back den he'll tell me pops where I is and I'll have to go back."  
  
"Fine,"  
  
"Thank youse Spot." Daggers said hugging him.  
  
Spot blushed a little, and pushed her off him so he could get up. Daggers got up and started to go down stairs.  
  
"'Ey Daggers," Spot called and Daggers turned around to face him. "Catch," he tossed her a some clothes. "Ya'll have to borrow someone elses hat"  
  
Daggers smiled and went down stairs to find an empty stale to change in. Stepping out she felt a lot better now that she had pants and a shirt on. She had bound her chest down so she looked like a boy again, it also helped that Spot's clothes were a little baggy on her.  
  
By now most the boys were up and getting ready for the day. Her second mission of the day was to find Stev, because he was about the same size as James. Stev had just gotten up and was heading towards the bathroom so daggers seized his absence to grab some clothes for James. Stev didn't have an extra hat or Daggers would have taken for herself. Then she set off to James. He was still asleep.  
  
"Jamie wake up," she said as soon as she got over to him.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Up now Jamie, I got some clothes for ya so ya won't look so out of place." She informed him as she tossed the clothes to him.  
  
"Thanks," He said getting up and getting a first glance at what he would be wearing. He flinched. Daggers smiled. "Who's are these?"  
  
"Stev's. He won't mind your using dem."  
  
"He doesn't know?"  
  
"Not yet,"  
  
He nodded. James' perfectly styled hair was now going every direction, and Daggers had to admit it looked considerably better than the way he had had it. Daggers waited by his bed till he got back in Stev's clothes.  
  
"Jamie ya ever sold a pape 'fore?"  
  
"No,"  
  
"Today's ya lucky day den." Dagger smiled. "First I need to go borrow Riddles' extra hat."  
  
She led James over to Riddles, and grabbed the hat on the floor with his stuff.  
  
"Borrowing youse hat."  
  
"Fine," Riddles replied.  
  
"Danks," Daggers said before she led James over to the door.  
  
James didn't seem to have anything to say Daggers as they walked with the others to the distribution center. The others ignored him and Spot seemed to be deep in thought. Daggers wanted to go Spot have the boys include James but she couldn't push him. Then she realized something she didn't have any money on her.  
  
"Jaime, ya have any money?" She asked looking over at him.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Do ya?"  
  
"Yes, I have a five, and some change."  
  
"Good, can I borrow 50 cents?"  
  
"Sure," he replied pulling out a fifty cent piece and handing it to her.  
  
"Thanks,"  
  
Daggers and the others went and got their papers while James stayed back to watch. After getting a hundred papers Daggers went over to grab james.  
  
"Alright you're gonna sell wid me," She said shoving a third of the papers into his arms.  
  
"I don't think I want to do this,"  
  
"Ya got no choice," She said grinning and pulling him along.  
  
Daggers could tell he was watching her as she began to shout the headlines at the top of her lungs to get people to buy. He began to imitate her but at no success. She laughed and correct what he was doing wrong.  
  
Selling was slow but with James to help her it went about the normal pace and when she taught him how to 'improve the truth' things sped up considerably. After they finished selling the morning addition she led him over to the dock where several of the boys were already swimming.  
  
"Know how to swim Jamie?" she asked.  
  
"A little,"  
  
"Good, have fun." She said motioning towards the water.  
  
"In there?" he said looking down at the water.  
  
"Yeah, where else do ya purpose ya is gonna swim," Flame said pulling himself out of the water.  
  
James looked at the water and backed away. Several of the boys began to tease him. Daggers sighed; this boy was hopeless. A little bit of water wasn't going to hurt him. Then to her surprise James was lecturing the boys about what could be in the water. The boys were laughing harder now then they were when they were teasing him.  
  
Daggers shrugged and went off to go find Spot on his perch. Sitting down using the crate as a back rest, Daggers tried to relax but was so tense there was no chance.  
  
"It was weird yesterday not having youse there," Spot said after Daggers had been there for a moment.  
  
"Really?" Daggers asked looking up at him.  
  
Spot didn't reply.  
  
"Kathryn, where did you go?" James asked walking over.  
  
"Kathryn?" Spot asked looking down at her.  
  
"Wanna make someding of it," Daggers said getting up and glaring at Spot. Then she looked over at the approaching James. "Jamie, Daggers, call me Daggers."  
  
"There you are," he said taking her hand. "Show me the local diner is I'm hungry."  
  
Daggers sighed and started in the direction of the closest diner. She had wanted to see what Spot was going to say next but she couldn't now. James was getting annoying, not that he hadn't been when she had first met him. 


	12. Slingshot

Chapter 12  
  
Daggers used to sell alone but ever since Jamie had come he'd been selling with her. The boys only accepted him to a certain extent and Spot only seemed to include Jamie when he thought that Daggers was looking, which frustrated her to no end. Daggers had tried to convince Jamie that he could sell by himself or find another selling partner but he'd insist now continuing to sell with her. She put up with it for about a week.  
  
"Jamie, I sell alone A.L.O.N.E. alone. Go find someone else to sell wid or go sell by yourself." Daggers hissed getting right up into Jamie's face.  
  
"Kath-"  
  
"No, I sell alone." Daggers said pulling back her fist and releasing it right into Jamie's nose. Then took off running in the other direction.  
  
Once she was pretty sure there was no way he could have followed her she slowed to a walk. It felt so good to be alone if just for the morning. She should ditch him more often. She'd have to meet back up with him with at the dock after she finished. At least he had gotten over his fear of the water so she could get him to go swimming sometimes to leave her alone.  
  
Finding her way back to a more main street she began to sell. After a few hours she ran or more walked into Spot who was starting to head back to the dock. Daggers only had a few more papers so she walked with him and sold as they went. Spot didn't seem to want to talk so the walked in silence. He seemed to be deep in thought a lot lately.  
  
When the made it to the dock he went straight to his perch and pulled out his sling shot. Daggers sat down to watch him, she'd always liked to watch him use his slingshot and really wanted to learn how to use one herself. Several of the boys had offered to teach her but she'd never gotten around to it. Then she got an idea.  
  
"Spot," at the sound of his name he looked down at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Teach me how to use a slingshot," it came out more a command then a question.  
  
"Sure," he replied.  
  
He started to jump down but realized that Daggers was already half way up the ladder. Looking over at her, she smiled and he shrugged.  
  
"'K what do I do?" She asked.  
  
"Here," he said handing her the slingshot and making sure she had her hand in the right position. Then he placed his hand over hers to help her keep it steady. The he handed her a marble. "Put dis in the leder part. Then pull it back, aim and release." He helped her pull it back but let her aim at on of the bottle on her own. Releasing it the marble hurled through the air but missed the bottle by a good few inches.  
  
"I have to get me one of dese." Daggers said looking at the slingshot in awe, then turned offering it back to Spot.  
  
"Keep it," He replied.  
  
"Ya sure?"  
  
"Yeah, I can make me anudda."  
  
"Danks Spot," Daggers smiled.  
  
Their eyes locked and Spot leaned in closer to her stealing a short kiss. Daggers wasn't sure whether to slap him or kiss him back and her faced showed it. Spot laughed then turned his head abruptly so Daggers followed suit to see Jamie a few feet away. The outsider glared at them for a moment then was off running in the other direction. Daggers started to move to go after him but Spot grabbed her arm.  
  
"He's wants to run, let 'im run."  
  
No one had heard about the kiss and she was sure that Spot wasn't going to tell anyone. Daggers was stressed but not by the kiss; Jamie still hadn't come back. Her feelings were mixed between worrying about his well being and him going to her father. The later was causing more stress than the first. Daggers could tell the Spot wanted to comfort her by telling her Jamie wouldn't, but he couldn't. He didn't believe it himself. The rest of the day Daggers was constantly looking over her shoulder she had been put on her guard more than ever before. 


	13. Cops

Chapter 13  
  
Nothing had happened for a few days and Daggers was pretty sure that if Jamie had told her father he would have been here by now. Spot hadn't tried anything else and still no one knew about what Daggers had dubbed as 'The Kiss'. This was good because daggers had decided that if he tried anything else she would have to soak him, not that she'd be successful seeing as he was a good year older and at least a little bit stronger. Matter of fact she didn't see much of him at all. Now that she thought about it she was avoiding him.  
  
"Hello Kathryn," Jamie said popping up next to her as she wandered the streets of Brooklyn. Daggers flinched he had said her name.  
  
"Daggers, not Kathryn, we've been over this." She said without even looking at him. "Where you been?"  
  
"Visiting friends," he replied coolly.  
  
"Hmm," Daggers didn't feel like talking at the moment and Jamie as interrupting her thought process that revolved around why she was avoiding Spot.  
  
"You know your father isn't as mean as you make him-"  
  
Daggers stopped dead then in one fluid motion had Jamie pushed up against the nearest wall.  
  
"I would not do that if I were you," Jamie replied, there wasn't even the slightest hint of fear in his voice.  
  
"That's why you're not me," Daggers hissed before two cops pulled her off him.  
  
"Your father insisted I bring along someone to protect me. Seeing as we were kidnapped by a couple of roof looking boys by order of their leader. Fortunately for us I escaped." Jamie said motioning to the cops who had a firm hold on Daggers. "Of course there was a price seeing as I had to fight of the guard to get away and he broke my nose."  
  
Daggers smiled despite herself; she was glad that she had not only caused him physical pain by punching him but also broke his nose.  
  
"You little bastard," Daggers said when she was done smiled and gave him a death glare.  
  
"Now if you'll excuse these kind officers will escort you back to your residence, and I must testify as to which of the newsies were involved in the kidnapping." Jamie said leaving Daggers with the cops which started to drag her towards a carriage.  
  
Daggers twisted and squirmed so the officers thought she was trying to get away but really she was reaching for a knife. As soon as it was in her hand she stopped holding her own weight and the cops had to reposition their grip. In the moment when they lessened their grip she jerked forward and was free long enough to wave her knife in their faces causing them to back up. Their hesitation was just what Daggers needed and she was gone. Running through the streets quickly finding little places grown men could not easily fit through in the end she had ditched them and was off to warn Spot and the others.  
  
Running as quickly as she could towards the dock which was where Spot undoubtedly was. She knew the streets a lot better than Jamie but he had a head start and that could prove faulty to her plan. Her stomach fell as she reached the dock and Jamie had Spot pinned up against Spot's crate. She watched from a distance as Spot was arrested. After they had dragged him off Daggers slumped to ground letting tears fall for the first time since Stev had run away leaving her to deal with her parents on her own.  
  
The rest of the day Daggers warned all the newsies Jamie had had a grudge against away from the dock and the warehouse. To the rest she advised to keep on their guard but still act normal around Jamie. That night she wasn't sure where to go, she couldn't go to the warehouse to sleep, Jamie and his cops were watching it and she didn't have anywhere else to go. Thinking back she tired to remember what she had done before she had come to Brooklyn. There had been that one night in Manhattan and before that she had just slept on the streets. After a lot of thought she settled Manhattan, though she had to wonder where Flame, Hour, and Stev were sleeping.  
  
The walk to Manhattan was considerably shortened by ride given to her by some guy named Denton. He'd said something about the strike but daggers was too busy to thinking about what she was going to do to listen.  
  
Getting out carriage Daggers made her way to the Manhattan Newsboys Lodging House. She honestly hoped they'd let her sleep there the night without much questioning. She didn't feel like explaining the story to anyone at the moment. When she arrived nearly all the boys were upstairs and the caretaker Mr. Kloppman agreed willingly to let her sleep their, mind you he thought she was a he.  
  
"'Ey Daggers, what'cha doing heah?" asked Racetrack as she stepped into the dormitory.  
  
"Problems in Brooklyn, just need a place to stay for the night," Daggers replied quickly not wanting to say more.  
  
"What kinda problems?" Jack asked appearing.  
  
"Problems wit the bulls," she replied challenging jack with her eyes to ask anymore questions, he accepted her challenge head on.  
  
"Spot usually takes care of da bulls," Jack replied raising an eyebrow in question.  
  
"Spot was the one they caught first," Daggers replied doing the best to appear tough and keep back the stream of tears wanting to come pouring down.  
  
The newsies all stared at her dumbfounded. All the ones that had ignored her previously had turned to look at her.  
  
"De bulls caught Spot?" echoed through the room shattering the silence.  
  
"Spot's never been caught by de bulls besides dat one time at the rally," Jack said looking Daggers over carefully.  
  
Daggers shrugged, holding back the tears the best she could.  
  
"Well then we best break 'im out," Jack said looking daggers in the eye. "Come on Daggers, lets go." Jack grabbed a rope and motioned towards the door. 


	14. Rescue

Chapter 14  
  
Jack led Daggers through the streets of Manhattan as the sunset. After a while Jack stopped in front of a gate.  
  
"Here we are," Jack said motioning towards the gate.  
  
Daggers had to wonder how Jack knew to Spot was here but she didn't question him. After a moment of thought about it she decided it must be common knowledge on the streets that no one had shared with her.  
  
After climbing over the gate Jack led her up to the roof of the building. Then he one end of the rope around a small ledge and the other around his waist. Daggers had the difficult task of lowering Jack down to the window and was expected to pull him back up, how she was going to do this she wasn't sure. Once down at the window Jack greeted old friends before Spot showed up. Daggers stomach dropped again seeing his face, and couldn't help but notice that he had a fat lip. She was sure Jamie had something to do with it.  
  
"'Ey ya Jacky boy."  
  
"Here to get ya out Spot," Jack said unscrewing the bolts that held the bars to the window.  
  
"I figured." Spot replied.  
  
"Wait I don't have to pull both you and Spot up Jack?" Daggers asked nervously.  
  
"Na," Jack replied. "Spot will climb up the rope then 'elp you pull me up."  
  
"'K," Daggers replied relieved. With Spot's help she could easily pull Jack up.  
  
"Oops," Jack muttered as the metal casing thing fell to the ground with a loud clang. "Spot move it, we have to get out of here before someone comes to investigate that,"  
  
Spot slipped out the window and began to climb up the rope with ease. When he reached the top Daggers offered a hand to help him up. He accepted locking his eyes on hers. Jack watched them with growing curiosity. With Spot's help Daggers pulled Jack up quick and easy. After Jack was up the three of them were off and running towards the Lodging House.  
  
Kloppman merely nodded as they entered then they proceeded upstairs to the dormitory.  
  
"'K Spot what's going on?" Jack asked as they entered the dormitory.  
  
Daggers shot a glare at Spot in hopes he would catch her drift and not give anything away. Spot didn't see it but Jack did.  
  
"Some bastard told de bulls dat me and some of me boys kidnapped a goil." Spot answered.  
  
"Youse kidnapped a goil?" asked Boots walking over.  
  
"Na, wasn't involved at all," Spot replied.  
  
"Did a goil get kidnapped dough?" asked Jack.  
  
"Wanted to run away and me boys 'elped her out is all."  
  
The boys accepted this as a decent answer and started to back down and go to bed. Daggers looked around and noticed something very unnerving.  
  
"Jack how many open bunks do you have?" She asked turning to him. Jack surveyed the room for a moment.  
  
"One, guess you and Spot 'ill have to share a bunk.," He replied going over to his own bunk.  
  
Daggers turned to Spot and remembered 'The Kiss'. This was not a good idea.  
  
"I'll sleep on de floor," Spot offered. Daggers was honestly tempted to take his offer but remembered if she hadn't showed up he would be back at Brooklyn right now in his own bed.  
  
"Na, it's okay we'll just share the bunk," Daggers replied then hissed in his ear. "Touch me and die."  
  
Spot slipped off his shirt before climbing on to the bunk and Daggers couldn't help but notice how muscular he was. She'd seen him with his shirt off plenty of times, but somehow this was different. She laid down next to him and turned so that her back faced him. Then remembered something and turned to face him.  
  
"Thanks for not telling Jack," She whispered then turned so that her back was to him again.  
  
Daggers opened her eyes letting the early morning sunlight fill them. The first thing she saw was Spot's sparkling blue eyes staring right at her. Spot gave her his signature smirk and she blushed despite herself. He was so close it scared her and excited her at the same time. Daggers heart raced as he moved in closer stealing another kiss.  
  
"Get up!" she heard Kloppman yell. Just the excuse she needed to hop out of bed quickly. Spot remained in bed for a few moments clearly thinking before getting up himself. Daggers stretched before noticing Jack who stood a few feet away looking curiously at her.  
  
"What?" she asked roughly, as she followed his eyes over to Spot. Realizing he had seen Spot kiss her Daggers blushed deep red. Spot pulled his shirt over his head and looked over at the very confused Jack.  
  
"Explain," Jack said it was clear he was questioning Spot's sexuality.  
  
"Daggers is a goil," Spot said yawning.  
  
"Goil?!?" Jack replied gaping at Daggers. Jack regained his composure then seemed to be thinking things over in his head. "That's why he seemed a little odd and goily looking... Daggers is the goil they dink youse kidnapped."  
  
"Very good Jacky boy," Spot said starting to wake up.  
  
"But Jack was the one who introduced Daggers to ya Spot how did yeh boys help her run away?" Boots added entering the conversation.  
  
"Her pops caught her and me boys 'elped her run away again."  
  
"Well no ones expected ya two to be in Manhattan right?" Racetrack asked.  
  
"Yeah," Daggers replied.  
  
"Den youse two can stay here," Jack said. "Since ya don't mind sharin' a bunk."  
  
Several of the boys snickered at his last comment and daggers rolled her eyes.  
  
"What ya boys all doing, lets go," Kloppman yelled at the group of boys surrounding Dagger and Spot's bunk. 


	15. Surrender

Quote the author feels very clever for coming up with: "Every Newsie wants more papes and every author wants more reviews"  
  
A/N: Beem a while to keep this one up. Difficult chapter to write and Dag's house in on Manhattan which is why she started out there. Just so you know.  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Daggers and Spot had taken to selling together. Wandering around Manhattan together and Daggers had realized that Spot liked her and she him. Although it had been hard to come to terms with, she being Daggers and all. The Manhattan boys having a thing with abbreviations (they're American you know what I mean) had started to call her Dag instead of Daggers and Spot had picked up the one syllable nickname also but always added an 's' on the end. It also helped keep her hidden seeing as the cops were looking for her again under the nickname Daggers, although they hadn't started looking in Manhattan yet. Dag and Spot had managed to remain free for a whole week.  
  
"Spot do ya dink dat Flame, Hour, and Stev are okay?" She whispered one night before they fell asleep.  
  
"Dey is fine," Spot replied hoping that Dag would leave him to sleep.  
  
"Yeh sure?"  
  
"Dags ya worry too much. Go to sleep," Spot muttered wrapping his arm around her.  
  
She rolled her eyes. Spot was one of those people who could fall asleep anywhere if he wanted too; Dag on the other hand couldn't fall asleep anywhere. They did share the fact that they didn't like to get up but had trained their bodies to get them up because they didn't have someone to wake them up in Brooklyn.  
  
Spot missed Brooklyn, Daggers could tell. It was clearly odd for him not to be the leader even though the Manhattan boys respected him. She wished that Jamie had never gotten involved, except the fact that his existence pushed Spot to make his move earlier than he intended.  
  
The morning went as usual Dag and Spot woke up about five minutes before Kloppman came in to get everyone up. By the time he got over to Dag and Spot's bunk they had separated and gotten up, he still didn't know that Dag was a girl and most likely wouldn't approve. Spot and Dag went about selling their papers, when they ran into someone they didn't expect.  
  
"Excuse me newsies I'd like to buy a paper." To Dag's horror her father stood right in front of them. Dag pulled her hat over her eyes and tried to slip away while Spot sold him a paper. She backed up into someone and looked up to see one of her father's employee's who recognized her right away.  
  
"Kathryn?" This caught her fathers attention and he looked over at them.  
  
Dag started to make a run for it but the employee grabbed her shoulder firmly preventing a quick get away. Dag responded by pulling out a knife and placing it to the employee's neck. He kept a firm grip despite her unspoken threat. Then she realized why; a cop had showed up and had Spot by the collar. Her father stood beaming, as Spot struggled to loosen the officers grip.  
  
Dag knew that she had been defeated by the look in her father's eyes. She wasn't sure how but he knew Spot was her weak spot(no pun intended). Keeping the knife to the employee's neck Dag decided to try for negotiations.  
  
"Let Spot, go I like him go," She growled pretending she still had some control.  
  
"Kathryn, give up." Her father replied in his business voice not wanting to make a scene.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I said so. That's why?"  
  
"Not gonna to happen,"  
  
"I'll make a deal with you,"  
  
"What kinda deal?" Dag asked not interested she was in a lose, lose situation.  
  
"You come home, he goes free and I call off the search for the others."  
  
Dag stood unsure of what to do. Her heart was weighted between Spot and her hate of her home. Spot's freedom not to mention Stev's, Flame's and Hour's, against her own. Dag slowly lowered her knife from the employee's neck in surrender.  
  
"Good girl," Her father said as if he were speaking to a dog.  
  
Dag looked over at Spot. He looked betrayed though she wasn't sure why. She was giving up her freedom not his. Why should he feel betrayed? Dag didn't understand Spot.  
  
"Daggah's don't," Spot yelled struggling harder than before.  
  
"Disarm yourself or we'll do it for you," her father ordered as the officer dropped Spot. Dag pulled out all of her knifes and looked them over once before giving them to Spot, who took them reluctantly.  
  
"Slingshot too,"  
  
Dag pulled the slingshot from off her belt and ran her finger over the SC engraved into the handle before giving it to Spot too. He couldn't meet her eyes though she wanted him to more than anything. She kissed his cheek lightly before her father dragged her away.  
  
The next few weeks were a blur to Dag. She got up did a bunch or stuff then went back to sleep, or she'd get up do absolutely nothing then go back to sleep. When she was forced to leave her room to show herself at one of the parties her father was hosting she felt very out of place with the other girls. Eventually she would bore of them and venture to a window over looking the street. One day however her father interrupted the blur during dinner.  
  
"Kathryn, tomorrow you're to board a train to Maine where you will attend a boarding school for girls."  
  
Dag merely nodded and continued to look out the window where she saw Jack pass right past. Her heart dropped to be so close to the streets and freedom and so faraway. Then it hit her what her father had said.  
  
"Tomorrow!?! School?!?"  
  
"Yes I've decided it's best."  
  
Dag glared at him.  
  
"Go and pack we leave first thing in the morning."  
  
Dag mumbled while walkin upstairs to pack. Entering her room, she found a very familiar face climbing through her window. 


	16. Spot Again

Chapter 16  
  
"Spot!"  
  
"Dags?" Spot looked up and their eyes met.  
  
"What are ya doin' here?" Dag asked entering the room and shutting the door behind her.  
  
"Came ta get youse," Spot said taking her hand and pulling her towards the window.  
  
"Spot no, me pops will accuse you of kidnapping again. We'd have to hide again and then you'd be away from Brooklyn and you aren't a happy person when you're not in Brooklyn." Dag replied pullinSg her hand away.  
  
"Daggah's" Spot said looking hurt. He knew fully well that what she said was true. He sighed and handed the bag that he carried to her. "Stev said youse wouldn't come."  
  
"Stev knows me too well." She responded opening the to find her daggers, the slingshot and a set of Spot's clothes. Dag laughed and then handed the bag back to him. "You keep dem."  
  
"Na, dey is yours." Spot replied offering them to her.  
  
Dag set her jaw and reluctantly took it back. Then she smiled, pulled out everything but her knifes, and offered the bag back to him. He took the bag, pulled out one knife and added it to the pile of stuff on her bed. Dags laughed and Spot stepped closer stealing a kiss.  
  
"Ya look good in a dress." Spot said looking her over.  
  
Dag shoved him playfully. He grabbed her waist and pulled her to the ground with him. She looked over at him giving him one of her glares. Then tried to stand up and Spot tightened his grip around her. Dag shook her head and twisted so she had him pinned(mind you he let her). Standing up Spot released his grip on her.  
  
"Why ya givin' up your knifes?" Spot asked making himself comfortable on the floor.  
  
"Going to school in Maine," She replied pulling a suitcase out of her closet. "School's a scary place but won't need me knifes dere."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Who is I going us them on?"  
  
"De boys dat try to make a move on ya," Spot suggested smirking.  
  
"It's an all goil school,"  
  
"Can I come?" Spot asked now interested.  
  
"No," she replied glaring at him. She stopped hearing someone walking up the stairs. Spot was now up, he heard it too. "Go," She urged pushing him towards the window.  
  
"Daggah's I is just borrowin' dese knifes. Youse better come back to get dem," Spot said climbing out the window.  
  
"I will," she said pushing him out.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise," she replied watching him climb down the rope.  
  
"Dags I love youse," he said when he got to the bottom.  
  
"I love you too Spot," She called as he started to run. When he turned for one last look she blew a kiss and winked playfully. He smiled then turned out of sight.  
  
Dag sat down on her bed and sighed before getting back to packing. The first thing she packed was the slingshot, knife, and the set of Spot's clothes.  
  
End  
  
A/N: Yeah dat's de end. Before ya hunt me down for the endin' you should know I'm thinkin' about doing a sequel.  
  
Sequel-Past Secrets 


End file.
